Kambwili: Opposition Alliance 99% Ready

National Democratic Congress (NDC) leader Chishimba Kambwili has confirmed that plans for an opposition alliance with the United Party for National Development (UPND) are “99 per cent concluded”.

Speaking to Diamond TV on Friday night, Kambwili assured Zambians that plans for the alliance were well underway as he put to bed rumours that he was considering rejoining the Patriotic Front (PF). 

“If I decide to go to the PF, just like I have decided to work with the UPND, I will come out in the open and say it that I am going to PF. I don’t need anybody to speak for me, you have never heard me speak through proxies. I speak for myself because I am capable of representing myself,” the opposition leader said.

He observed that a united opposition would stand a far better chance of beating the incumbent PF in August’s elections, even negating the possibility of a rigged election.

“If you unite and defeat the ruling party pants down, I tell you that the issue of rigging cannot be there but when you are fragmented and the results are neck to neck, it’s very easy for people to rig,” he said. 

Mr Kambwili admitted that previous alliances had struggled due to issues with power sharing, but stated that this would not be a problem in his alliance with the UPND.

“It’s something I would say it is almost concluded, it’s 99.9 per concluded but I cannot disclose the details before it’s concluded,” he said. 

Finally, he teased the possibility of a potential bid for the position of vice-president:

“If the alliance decides that I should be running mate, if the alliance decided that I be vice-president, why not…God’s time is the best,” he said.